1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus which apply electrical currents to the human body and are used to neutralize irritants such as venoms and other foreign substances which are introduced under the skin by the bite or sting of a variety of animals.
2. The Prior Art
A number of commonly encountered animals pose a threat to humans and domesticated animals due to their bites and/or stings. Numerous insects are capable of introducing or injecting various irritants under a victim's skin through a bite or a sting. Larger animals, such as snakes, can inject irritating or deadly venoms into their victims.
Electrical stimulation of the body for its useful effects is known in the art. Such stimulation has been carried out, for example, to speed bone growth and quicken healing of fractures, to provide relief of chronic pain, to simulate muscles and prevent muscle atrophy when nerves have been severed to the muscle, and to find the location of nerves during surgery.
It has recently been discovered that the application of an electrical current to the site of an insect or snake bite can reduce or eliminate the harmful effects of the introduced irritant. The previously proposed methods and apparatus for delivering an electrical current to the body to treat bites or stings have several problems and drawbacks.
Previously used apparatus have been crudely rigged or modified gasoline engine ignition coils or "stun gun" devices. Such devices are not intended for use in a therapeutic treatment and in the case of the stun gun are intended to give painful shocks in order to coerce a victim. Such Frankenstein-like devices and methods do not accurately control or measure the amount of current which is delivered to the body. Thus, the beneficial effects of such treatments cannot be maximized.
Further, such devices ignore the effect of skin resistance and electrode polarization on the treatment. When such effects are not considered, the treatment is much less effective. Moreover, such apparatus are often unwieldy and are not suitable for carrying on one's person or in a portable first aid kit. Still further, since the current applied to the victim is not controlled or measured, the treatments are often painful and victims often forego electrical stimulation therapy for less painful treatments.
In some cases, individuals are hyper-sensitive to insect bites or stings. Having a compact, portable device which could be carried everywhere and which would effectively treat insect bites could be a life saving advantage for hypersensitive persons. In addition to those who are hypersensitive to insect bites and stings, individuals traveling in areas where venomous snakes are common would welcome a device which could be easily carried and which would effectively treat any snake or insect bite immediately rather than having to hurriedly travel to a medical center and receive specific treatment for each particular kind of snake, spider, or insect bite.
In view of the forgoing, it would be an advance in the art to provide a compact apparatus for applying an electrical current to a site on the body in order to reduce or neutralize the effect of an irritant introduced into the body by a snake, spider, or insect bite.